GJM protests: 12 pro-Gorkhaland supporters arrested after clash with police

GJM activists clash with police, 12 GJM supporters arrested

Press Trust of India  |  Darjeeling 

People display placards while taking part in silent peace rally in Darjeeling. Photo: PTI
People display placards while taking part in silent peace rally in Darjeeling. File photo: PTI

Gorkha Janmukti Morcha  (GJM) supporters on Friday clashed with police after pro-supporters attacked a school bus and ransacked several shops in district of the hills, the police said.

Police baton-charged the protestors and arrested 12

The incident took place when GJM supporters, who were picketing on the streets of to enforce the indefinite shutdown which entered its 93rd day on Friday, tried to stop a school bus.

pelted stones at the bus and ransacked several shops which tried to reopen on Friday, the police said.

The police initially tried to pacify GJM supporters, but they pelted stones at the police injuring few police personnel.

Police and security forces were patrolling the streets to avoid any untoward incident.

Several shops and markets which had reopened in yesterday downed its shutters.

GJM chief Bimal Gurung had yesterday asked partymen to intensify the bandh and said the shutdown will continue till a tripartite meeting was convened by the central government.

He had also asked the GJM cadre to intensify the bandh in the hills and ensure that no one made an attempt to break it.

Though the state-run North Bengal State Transport Corporation plied a few buses, they were escorted by security personnel.

The buses were operating from Siliguri to via Kurseong. Buses were also plying between Siliguri and Mirik in district, official sources said.

For the seventh day in a row, the police, along with the administration, appealed to the locals via public address systems to open shops and restore normalcy in the hills.

Peace rallies were taken out by residents in Kurseong, and Mirik.

took out rallies in some parts of Darjeeling, Sonada and supporting creation of and the ongoing shutdown, the sources said.

First Published: Fri, September 15 2017. 15:41 IST